No official reason for Reiland's theft have been provided, but it is assumed by police that debts incurred from a serious gambling addiction contributed to his behavior.

"We were stunned [in the spring] when we learned there might have been some improprieties [concerning Reiland]. It's something we never expected," Anderson Principal Donna Houser told the American-Statesman. "I like Mark personally, ... and I hate it for [the Reiland family], but we can't tolerate any kind of financial problems."

Regardless of the full extent of Reiland's potential criminal activities, his former athletic director insists that he is not a deviant at heart.

"He is a good person who has suffered through bad things," Austin Independent School District Athletic Director Tommy Cox told the American-Statesman. "I'm not going to condone what happened, but he's not a bad guy."